FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
LAGUNA BEACH UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
CONTACT: ANAKAREN UREÑO
DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND ENGAGEMENT
949-497-7700 EXT. 5232 | AURENO@LBUSD.ORG

August 28, 2026

Laguna Beach Unified School District names Ryan Zajda 2026 Spirit of Laguna award recipient

LAGUNA BEACH, Calif. — Laguna Beach Unified School District has named Director of Facilities and Sustainability Ryan Zajda the recipient of the 2026 Spirit of Laguna Award.

The award recognizes a district employee who exemplifies extraordinary service to others. Zajda joined LBUSD in 2017 and has served as director of facilities and sustainability throughout his tenure, leading the facilities, maintenance, and operations employees who work behind the scenes each day to keep the district’s campuses safe, functional, and welcoming.

In close partnership with school site administrators, Zajda and his teams support nearly every aspect of the district’s physical environment, from plumbing, irrigation, custodial services and everyday repairs to long-term facilities planning and campus improvements. He has overseen major capital improvement projects, including the Laguna Beach High School pool modernization project, improvements to the athletic fields at Thurston Middle School and LBHS, Building 100 at LBHS and the Laguna Beach Family Resource Center on St. Ann’s Drive.

“In Ryan’s line of work, you have to be a bridge builder, both literally and figuratively. He listens, responds and follows through, and that’s how he has earned the trust of our highly engaged Laguna Beach community,” said Superintendent Don Austin, Ed.D. “He approaches every project with a spirit of collaboration and always puts our students and the community we serve first. That commitment to public service is what makes Ryan so deserving of the Spirit of Laguna Award,” he concluded.

Zajda has also worked alongside district employees and service partners to advance LBUSD’s sustainability practices. District landscape maintenance follows an organic integrated pest management program that uses safe, effective and economically feasible methods to control weeds, insects and diseases while minimizing potential hazards to people, property and the environment. Additional sustainability efforts include programs to divert waste from landfills and reduce water and energy use across the district.

As chair of the district’s safety committee, Zajda brings together employees from across LBUSD to identify needs and strengthen safety practices. Working closely with school site leaders and community partners, he has prioritized safe facilities, emergency preparedness and wildfire resilience measures designed to reduce risk and better protect students, employees and campuses.

“I am honored to receive this award, but the work it recognizes belongs to the people who show up every day to care for our schools,” Zajda said. “Our maintenance, operations and facilities employees take tremendous pride in their work, and our site administrators are essential partners in identifying needs and finding solutions. I am grateful to work alongside people who care so deeply about creating safe, welcoming places for students and employees,” he concluded.

Zajda was presented with the Spirit of Laguna Award during the district’s annual Welcome Back Breakfast for employees on August 18, 2026.

To learn more about the Laguna Beach Unified School District, visit www.lbusd.org. Stay connected by following @LagunaBeachUSD on Instagram and subscribing to the district newsletter (www.lbusd.org/itsawrap) for the latest news and updates.

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